Central California Biographies
A memorial and biographical history of the coast counties of Central California : illustrated : containing
a history of this important section of the Pacific coast from the earliest period of its discovery to the
present time, together with glimpses of its auspicious future, illustrations and full-page portraits of
some of its eminent men, and biographical mention of many of its pioneers, and prominent citizens of
to-day (1893)
Publisher: Chicago : Lewis Publishing Company
Author: Barrows, Henry D; Ingersoll, Luther A
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
THOMAS BRALEE, Esq., a venerable pioneer of Monterey, is a unique figure in its history,
as will be seen from the following narration of facts: He was born in the city of Worcester,
England, February 17, 1821, and in early life learned the trade of a bricklayer, but later
on became a carpenter and builder. At one time he worked for a rope spinner and became
proficient in that business.
At the age of about twenty-one he adopted the hazardous life of a sailor and as such came
to America, landing at Quebec from what sailors term a lumber droger, that is, a ship, in
the lumber trade; she was a brig of 350 tons, called the Harvey of North Shields, on the
Newcastle river; his master's name was Captain Cunningham. There he left the brig and
traveled through New York State and city and on to Baltimore in Maryland, getting only one
job of work, which was to build a two-story brick house on a farm in the north part of the
State of New York. He found it very hard to get employment at his business, as work was
scarce, and he a stranger, and there were plenty of mechanics out of employment. But he
will always say this for the American people, that they treated him royally and God bless
them for it! for he needed their help, having run away from his ship between two days, and
of course just as he stood. His funds running out there was nothing left for him to do but
ship in the Navy, which he did at Baltimore, August 7,1843, and was sent with others on
board the United States brig Pioneer, then lying at Baltimore as a receiving ship for recruits;
some time afterward he and about thirty others were sent on to New York and put on board
the United States battle ship. North Carolina, a 120-gun ship lying in New York harbor as a
guard ship. Some short time afterward, our subject with others was drafted as the crew of
the United States frigate Savannah, a sixty-four-gun ship just built and fitting out at the
Brooklyn navy yard. (By the way, the hull now lies at Mare island navy yard.) She was
condemned some three or four years ago as unseaworthy, and, as he says, "I guess that's
about my fix!" He continues," Well, God speed all travelers! for I expect to be on the road
pretty soon, as I find it's getting toward the end of the cruise. Like King Solomon of old,
'my glory has departed!" He left Brooklyn navy yard in November, 1843, in the frigate
Savannah, under command of Post Captain Fitzue, who was a thorough seaman and the
heart yarn of a mainstay.
We were bound for the Pacific station as flag ship of the Pacific squadron, there to be com-
manded by Commodore Dallas, who went to the Pacific coast overland to take the place
of Commodore Clackson, who had died on that station; and after a while Commodore
Dallas also died, and we buried him in Callao in Peru, who two years later was taken up
and taken home, to be interred with his friends.
Post Captain Armstrong, who was on this coast with the United States frigate, United
States, then took command, of the squadron until the arrival of Commodore Sloat, who
came on board the Savannah and relieved Post Captain Armstrong of his command, and
raised his flag on board the frigate Savannah, which he commanded until the close of the
Mexican war, or until the arrival on this coast of Commodore Shubrick, in the Columbus
line-of-battleship, of the East India station. Commodore Shubrick, being the senior officer
of Commodore Sloat, he relieved him and took command of the Pacific Squadron:
Commodore Sloat then went home.
Captain Marvin was captain of the Savannah under Commodore Sloat and had command
of the party that came on shore and hoisted the American flag, and took possession of this
country, in the name of the United States of America, and our subject is one of the party
that first hoisted the stars and stripes to the breeze on the Pacific coast, which act has
added a golden empire to our beloved country. Long may it wave!
Our subject is now in his seventy-second year, and the only survivor of that band around
here, though there are a few scattered around the State; but most of the boys have "passed
in their checks" and gone to that country from whose bourne no traveler has returned.
Well, as to the landing of the forces and hoisting of the flag, it is customary, when taking
possession of a country, for the invading party to haul down the flag of the country they
are taking; but the Mexicans euchered them on that point by secreting their flag. So they
were delayed for a while until a boat could go to the ship and get a Mexican flag to run up
and haul down, and then i-an up the stars and stripes. After taking possession of the country
they brought three forty-two-pounder cannon from the ship and mounted them on the spot,
where was afterward built a fort. They first made a block house one and a half stories high,
which is yet standing and all that is left of the fort. The upper or half story was the quarters
for the officers and men, divided by partitions; the lower story was pierced on three sides for
the cannonades, on the other side was built a stockade out of young pine trees as there were
plenty close by; they were set close together about three feet in the ground and about ten
feet out; there was a dry ditch just outside the stockade, on the side next to the bay, which
is one of the finest in the world. After the regular troops came they built barracks of
pine logs, but they have since all been destroyed by fire. Mr. Bralee, with about a dozen
sailors and six or eight marines, were left in charge to hold the fort, while the ships were
down the coast. Mr. Bralee remained in the service about seven months after the war
with Mexico first broke out, or after raising the flag here, receiving his discharge in
March, 1847. Monterey at that time contained only about forty houses, most of which
were built of adobe or sun-dried brick. Mr. Bralee made and burnt about the first kiln of
brick in the country in 1848, and built the first chimney in Monterey in 1847. He was
called by Walter Colton at different times to inspect the work of Colton Hall, as he could
not do the work on that building, he being engaged at that time erecting at the port a
stone building for an ordnance department, contracted for by Captain Marcy, then act-
ing as Commissary Captain United States Army. He also built some of the most sub-
stantial adobe buildings, one of which is now standing and looks as good as ever, although
forty-two years has passed since its construction. And to give the readers an idea of
what a mud house may cost we will here state that this one cost over $20,000!
Many foreigners of different nationalities landed at Monterey at an early date, but com-
paratively few remained. Mr. Bralee however continued his residence here and has
been closely identified with its interests. Our subject was Superintendent of the Public
Schools in 1866, the first superintendent of Monterey county, and in 1861 was elected a
Justice of the Peace.
Mr. Bralee married Alice Scandlin, a native of Armagh, county Sligo, Ireland. Of the four
children born to them two are living: Alice Bralee; and Thomas P. Bralee, who is a farmer
of Carmel valley, Monterey county.
For thirty-nine years Mr. Bralee was engaged in agricultural pursuits, on his ranch
of 1,400 acres, in Carmel valley, but since 1891 has been living a retired life in Monterey.